


This is Not a Drill

by ani_bester



Category: Captain America, Invaders, Marvel, Marvel 616, Marvel Comics - Fandom
Genre: Other, World War II, historical fiction - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-07
Updated: 2011-08-07
Packaged: 2017-10-22 08:41:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/236205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ani_bester/pseuds/ani_bester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Reactions of Bucky, Steve and the other Invaders when war is declared after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is Not a Drill

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: A racial slur is used in this fic

He was aware that Steve had left first. Bucky had tracked Steve in his peripheral vision, watching him as he went to the communications tent. That had made sense. No doubt the brass would be in contact within minutes after the fiasco. Through his numbness, Bucky managed to register a small stirring of surprise that The Invaders had heard of the attack from a civilian broadcast at not the military.

"The military must be running around more like a chicken with its head cut off than normal." Bucky muttered for the benefit of no one.

Namor left next. Bucky didn't see where he went, and couldn't bring himself to care.

Then Toro stirred. But rather than leaving, he walked over to Jim and fell against him. Jim in turn, pulled Toro close and leaned over to talk to Toro in a voice too soft for Bucky to hear. Bucky watched Toro sniffle and so Jim's arms tighten around his ward. He looked so paternal that Bucky felt nauseated. With a retching sound aimed at the Torches, he sprang to his feet and made his own exist.

After minutes of wondering, Bucky found himself approaching the same communications tent Steve had ducked to. With no announcement –Steve would know he was there already- Bucky raised the heavy flap and stuck his head in.

"Any word?" he asked.

Steve looked up and rubbed his eyes. His cowl sat on the table next to the two-way radio he hovered over. "No, not yet, Buck."

"Figured," Bucky replied, wandering further into the tent to sit on a pile of crates.

"Where are the others," Steve asked, his eyes on the silent radio.

Bucky sat cross-legged for a minute. "Namor went off." He shifted so his legs hung over the edge of the crate. "You know how he is. Not a word about where he was going or when he'd be back."

Bucky pulled his legs up again, and resumed his previous position. "As for the Torches-" Bucky scowled and jerked his thumb toward the left side of the tent. "Diapers ran off to cry in Jim's arms. Talk about over-dependence; I mean really the whole "pappy" thing?" Bucky rolled his eyes, but whatever derision he'd been about to say died when he caught the reproach in Steve's eyes.

Instead, he shrugged, and looked down at one of his pouches. He snapped it open and shut three times before speaking again. "I'm just saying he's a little immature," Bucky muttered, still looking at his pouch. "Nothing you and Namor haven't said."

Bucky picked up his canteen and began tossing it around, catching it each time with just one hand.

Steve looked at him and Bucky felt the full weight of his glare.

"Stop it, Buck."

Bucky gave him an insolent look and tossed the canteen once more between putting it away. "Grumpy," he chided.

"We're about to really go to war."

Bucky scoffed before he could stop himself. He felt himself turn red, but rather hide his face, he looked up at Steve. "Sorry pal, but we've been fighting for months now; what's the difference?"

"It won't be just us anymore," Steve said simply. "And we'll be over seas, probably for good now, Bucky."

"Well," Bucky said, biting his lip. "Well yeah. Course we will." He listened to the clicking of knobs as Steve messed with the small two-way radio.

"Any news yet," Bucky asked.

"Have you heard any?" Steve snapped, whirling around and jabbing his finger at Bucky.

"Whoa," Bucky said, waving his hands in a stopping motion. "Don't kill me just 'cause I'm closest."

Steve gave him an apologetic look, the one that always made Bucky think of a sad puppy, though he would never ever tell anyone that. He slid off the crate and went over to stand next to Steve, one hand resting on the table next to the radio, is finger brushing against Steve's cowl.

"What's eating you, pal," Buck asked. "And don't say Pearl Harbor. That's eating everyone."

"I need another reason?" Steve put his hand to his head and looked at Bucky with an expression that reminded Bucky that Steve wasn't all that much older after all.

"I wouldn't, Namor wouldn't, Toro probably wouldn't . . . but yeah you do. What's up Mr. Rogers?" Bucky put his hand on Steve's shoulder.

Steve folded his hands together as if in prayer and said nothing for several minutes. Then he looked back up at Bucky.

"Do you think it's our fault?"

"Huh?"Bucky said. He pulled his domino mask up onto his head and stared at Steve. "What? You mean the Jap's sneak attack. How the hell would that be our fault?"

"I'm Captain America," Steve gave Bucky a once over and managed the faintest of smiles. "And you're decked out fairly patriotically yourself." The trace smile slipped away and Steve sighed deeply. "We've made it pretty clear where America was going to stand in this war."

Bucky exhaled deeply and leaned against the table. "Never thought of that," he muttered. "You think if -if we'd stayed out then . . ." Bucky slammed his hand on the table. "Aw hell Steve, don't be stupid. We were gonna get in it one way or another. Yeah, maybe Captain American and Bucky made that even more obvious but-"

"But you think it would have still happened." Steve murmured.

"Even if it wouldn't have, you'd take back all the good we did, people we saved, battles we helped turn, just to save Pearl Harbor?"

Steve clasped his hands again and looked unsure enough that Bucky tightened the grip on Steve's shoulder and shook it. "C'mon Steve. Your problem is sometimes you just can't accept that you can't save everyone. It's war. You can't. Sometimes people will die no matter how much- no matter what you do." Bucky shook his head. "It's war."

Steve gave Bucky a wary look hat had half a smile hidden in it. "It's as simple as that, huh."

"Simple as that, yup," Bucky replied with a said smile. "It really has to be."

Steve shook his head, but the squawk of the radio interrupted whatever he'd been about to say. .

"To War," Steve said as he picked up the receiver.


End file.
